QoClick APPROVED

Why Is The Sky Blue

Diffuse sky radiation is solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface after having been scattered from the direct solar beam by molecules or suspensoids in the atmosphere. It is also called skylight, diffuse skylight, or sky radiation and is the reason for changes in the colour of the sky. Of the total light removed from the direct solar beam by scattering in the atmosphere (approximately 25% of the incident radiation when the sun is high in the sky, depending on the amount of dust and haze in the atmosphere), about two-thirds ultimately reaches the earth as diffuse sky radiation.

The important processes in the atmosphere (Rayleigh scattering and Mie scattering) are elastic. No energy transformation results, only a change in the spatial distribution of the radiation.

Even more about Why Is The Sky Blue

Why Is The Sky Blue

Why is the Sky Blue? Learn about the atmosphere and how light scattering makes the sky look blue. Plus, get great science projects to do.

Blue Sky - Why is the Sky Blue?

[Physics FAQ] - Original by Philip Gibbs May 1997. Why is the sky blue? A clear cloudless day-time sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more ...